A Further Defense of the Report, Title page – Publishers advertisement
A further DEFENCE OF THE REPORT. Vindicating it from Mr. Alſops Cavils, AND Shewing the Difference between Mr. W's and my ſelf to be Real, and the Charge in my Appeal to be True.
1 Cor. 4.13.
Being defamed we entreat.
LONDON: Printed for Nath. Hiller, at the Princes Arms in Leaden-Hall-Street, over againſt St, Mary Axe, 1698.
TO THE READER.
MY ſincere Aim being ſtill to clear the Truth, in order unto Peace, I have not only waved the Examination of Hiſtory, given by Mr. W. and Mr. A. which ſundry Inſtances, is ſo very diſtant from Truth, …t 'twill be difficult for them to bear a Dete…on; But being aſſured by my Presbyterian, as …ll as other Brethren, that Mr. Alſop's Vin…ation of his Rebuke, is extravagantly pro…king, I would not put my ſelf to the pain of …ading it. However, ſome worthy Perſons, …ving examined that Rhapſodie, did ſend me …at they apprehended needful for me to Anſwer; …ich I have conſidered, and in the enſuing …pers have given a Reply unto. And that …at I thought neceſſary to urge, might be ſo de…ered, as rather to induce unto, than drive …im the things, which make for Peace, I have …deavoured to obſerve that Rule, the Larned …d Pious Dr. Manton, now in Glory, hath on …e Ninth Verſe of Jude, given about Anſwer…g a Rayling, Scoffing Adverſary. Do not ſaith the Dr.) imitate him in his Fooliſh Paſſion, — But yet Anſwer him to the duplicate page purpoſe, with ſolid Arguments: — Beat down his Preſumption and Ignorance with a mee… Reply, ſuch as may check his Pride, but no… imitate his Folly.
There is one Calumny I muſt remove, but to do i… with that ſoftneſs, which is moſt conſonant to my Inclination, Principles and Temper; the Nature of the Thing will not eaſily allow: For which Reaſon I was once reſolved to ſay nothing of it. But being aſſured, that the Lye, my Adverſaries have induſtriouſly attempted to ſpread throughout the Land, is made their Principal Refuge: For the ſake of Gods Glory, my continued Ʋſefulneſs in the Miniſtry, and that I may clear my ſelf from ſo vile a Reproach, moſt unjuſtly caſt upon me by Mr. Williams's and Mr. Alſop's Innuendo's, Inſinuations and Suggeſtions; and the Lies they have ſent down into the Country as a Key to unlock their Meaning, That my entring on this Controverſie is to Diſſerve the Proteſtant, and Promote the Popiſh Cauſe; And to compaſs ſuch baſe and unworthy ends, I am (they ſay) engaged in the moſt villanous Attempts, I muſt, and do ſolemnly declare; and if ever I am neceſſitated to give a Hiſtory of my Concernment in this Affair, I doubt not but that I ſhall be able convincingly to demonſtrate, That there is nothing more abhorred by me, than ſuch Methods and Deſigns, as are charged upon me; That my ſincere endeavour hath been, and ſtill is, That God may glorified, in a laſting Eſtabliſhment of … Proteſtant Faith; And its well known to …ſe, who are moſt inwardly acquainted with me, … to the Conſciences of theſe Accuſers, That it … my hearty Labour to ſerve, not only the Pro…ſtants in general; but my Diſſenting Brethren particular, that occaſioned their Enemies, as … as mine to do their moſt to faſten theſe very …lumnies upon me; And I have a Letter of … Alſop's in my Cuſtody to Teſtifie how Indu…ouſly and Faithfully, I did, to his knowledge, …ve the Proteſtant Diſſenters. And ever ſince …ve been diſcharged from that Expenſive Ser…, I have confin'd my ſelf to my Miniſterial …k, extending my Correſpondencies no fur… than to matters relating to my Improvement in …erature, the Service of Chriſts Churches, and my …ily Concern; converſing with very few be… my own Brethren; And in my Deportment …ords them and all others, I have obliged my … to thoſe Rules of Civility, which become a …leman, a Chriſtian, and a Miniſter of Chriſts …ſpel.
And I muſt add, That had I not been moſt …ote from the Guilt they now would cover me …, Mr. Williams was ſo very well known to me, … Spirit, his Principles, and ſomewhat elſe, …ch I forbear to mention, that I would aſſoon … put my hand into the Fire, as engage in … Contraſt, and adventure on his Diſplea…. But my Innocency, which has oft paſſed …ugh the Ordeal, feared none of theſe …ngs.
Beſides, Had I been the Man, they repreſent me to be, I would never have undertaken the Defence of thoſe Points, which are moſt oppoſite to what, they ſay, I would promote. But I would have fallen in with Mr. Williams, whoſe Notions have ſo near an Alliance with, and ſo natural a… Tendency unto the Introduction of Popery; It being manifeſt, that Popiſh Deſigns can never be better carried on, than by bringing into Reputation, ſome main Branches of the Popiſh Religion; which is done effectually by Mr. Williams and ſome of his Followers, by their inſiſting on a Juſtification by Works, and their Arminianizing. But how my Zeal againſt thoſe Doctrines, ſome of which are Popiſh, and others prepare for Popery, ſhould be a Reaſon for their charging me with favouring that way, is beyond the Comprehenſion of Perſons, whoſe Ʋnderſtandings are much larger than mine.
In a word, my Part in this Controverſie, is to Tare up that Sovereign Drug, which the Jeſuits planted in this Kingdom, to Purge Proteſtants (as they expreſſed it in their Letter to the Father Rector at Bruxills) from their Hereſie. And they were Men of deep Judgment, ſound in the Faith; and as great Enemies to Popery, as ever breathed in Engliſh Air; who in the Reign of King Charles I. diſcovered their Fears, concerning a Change in Religion, upon the daily growth and ſpreading of Arminianiſm, which in their eſteem, was a cunning way to bring in Popery, whilſt they Judged the Profeſſors of theſe Opinions to be the Common Diſturbers … the Proteſtant Churches; and Incendiaries, …n thoſe Eſtates, in which they had gotten any Head, being Proteſtants in ſhow; but Jeſuits … Opinion, and Practice. And it was no …all part of the Glory of King James I. and of …he Houſe of Naſſau, that they laboured to cruſh …he Errours, I Oppugne, as having a tendency … introduce Popery; and Supported thoſe Divines who Defended the very Cauſe, for which Plead. And it's well known, that of all Armi…ians, they who Socinianize in the Doctrine of Chriſts Satisfaction, as Mr. W's doth, are the …ſt Dangerous.
It is not then a Deſign to promote the Popiſh …ntereſt, directly or indirectly, but a Detecting …he Craft and Errours of this Man, whoſe Prin…iples tend to the bringing in of Popery, that is my …rime; from which neither their ſevereſt Me…aces, nor the worſt they can do unto me (I truſt … the mercy of the Lord) ſhall be able to divert …. For as in former, ſo in this Perſecution …rom them, the Lord hath been and ſtill is my …trength, who in his own time, will not only indicate all oppoſed Truth, but clear my Inno…ency. Whether it be either pious or wiſe, for the …t. Hellens Brethren to leave ſuch Charges upon an innocent Brother, to paſs without Rebuke, I ſub…it to their Conſciences, knowing how hateful Delators, when amongſt Perſons of an inferiour Rank, have been unto them, in whom could be foun… the leaſt degree of Morality.
But however their Carriage may be towards m… in this reſpect, I am not, I bleſs God, in the lea… gone off from my peaceable Principles or Tempe… being moſt deſirous the Brethren, who are unfeigne… Embracers of the Proteſtant Faith, would ente… on ſuch Methods as are moſt likely to Reſtore Pea… upon the Foundation of Neceſſary Truth.
There is nothing more needful, that I can at pr… ſent think of, to be ſpoken unto, unleſs what relat… to Amyrald, which will require more room tha… is here left me.
S. L.
Books ſold by Nath. Hiller, at the Princes Arm… in Leaden-Hall-Street.
THE Divine Inſtitution of Congregations Churches, Miniſtry and Ordinances, [as ha… been Profeſſed by thoſe of that Perſwaſion] Aſſe… ted and Proved from the Word of God. By Iſaa… Chauncy. M. A.
A Diſcuſſion of the Lawfulneſs of a Paſtors Acting as an Officer in other Churches, beſides tha… which he is eſpecially called to take the Overſigh… of. By the late Reverend Mr. Nath. Mather.